Crematory urn



July 31, 1951 M. J. M DONALD ETAL CREMATORY URN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1945 Patented July 31, 1951 Murray J. MacDonald, Chappaqua,

Carl

Schwendler, Woodside, and Christopher S. Schwendler, Elmhurst, N. Y., assignors to National Casket Company Incorporated, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application August 25, 1943, Serial No. 500,179

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to containers, and more particularly to that type of container known as a crematory urn. Such urns normally are used to hold the ashes of a cremated body, and are retained in m-ausoleums, or elsewhere, and occasionally are interred in the ground.

Heretofore crematory urns have been made of various metals, which have been expensive to manufacture, or of tiles cemented together which, while less expensive to manufacture, lack the stability of structure and appearance demanded commercially, and are subject to other objections, such as the difliculty of hermetically sealing the same. Furthermore, no chemically inert liner has been provided to date, and insofar as we are aware, these urns have not been made of hardenable plastic compositions.

, Itisoneobject of our invention to provide a crematory urn made of a hardenable plastic composition; and which has a hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface that may be finished in any suitable manner, such as is done when painting or lacquering a wooden or metal article.

Thus, bronze, silver and other finishes may be successfully simulated, such as an ivory finish.

It is another object of our invention to provide an improved construction of crematory urn. It is still another object of our invention to provide a crematory urn with a suitable chemically inert linerfor the chamber thereof.

' It is a further object of our invention to provide a crematory urn of the above indicated character which is a monolithic structure, having suitable ornamentation cast thereon, and which is nevertheless light in weight, free from warping and cracking, resistant to shocks, stresses and strains, and which is readily hermetically sealed. It is a further object of our invention to prO- vide an improved construction of crematory urn wherein the hermetically sealed closure is concealed behind a removable'portion of the ornae i f Fi ,1.

:q; Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the closure a vertical sectional view of the assembled mold for th construction of crematory urn shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I v

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the liner support and mold for producing the cap cavity.

6 Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View of a modified construction of crematory urn according to this invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionalview of a still further modified form of crematory urn according 10 to this invention, and w H v b Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the crematory urn ofFi sfiand'l. ,7 we

While there is shown and described in this specification the best forms and methods now known to us for carrying out our invention, it will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the plastic composition and its proportions, as well as in the construction and ar rangement of parts, within the spirit and scope of the invention as described in this specification and as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the crematory urn ll there shown comprises side walls [2, top I3 and an enlarged base l4.

This urn is formed of a hardenable plastic composition to be more fully described hereinafter, and it will be noted that the top 13 has a suitable ornamental shape, and that the side walls l2 are provided with appropriate ornamentation, indicated at l5, leaving large blank areas on the sides for suitable inscription, or the like. The ornamental shape and the surface ornamentations are cast integral with the body bymeans of a suitably shaped mold, and it will be understood that other shapes and other ornamentations may be used as desired by the manufacturer.

The crematory urn I I' is hollow, as seen in Fig. V2,;and is provided with a glass liner It. The bottom of the urn H is provided centrally with an .4 0 apertured recess ,1 i into which space the threaded end l8 of the liner 16, projects; The; open end Ofthe liner i6 is closed by a cap l9-,,which also may be formed of the hardenable, plastic composition referred to, which fillsjthe recess I1 and hasa screw threaded hollow, as indicated at 2|,

to receive the projecting screw threaded end of the liner It. A glass, rubber or felt disc 20 may be inserted in the bottom of the hollow to cover itheopen end of the liner is. The cap I9 also is provided with a pair of finger holds 22 by means of which the cap may be screwed in place; and when the-urn ashes have been deposited in the urn,-the cap is suitably sealed in place by a plastic cement, to be described, and 'indicated' at 23, the cement-preferably being of a nature to unite the expensive treatments of the outer surface. The

plastic must be sufliciently dense and have an internal structure that will adequately distribute shocks, strains and stresses evenly over a wide area, to prevent excess loading at any one point, and at the same time the plastic in its hardened state must not be brittle, should not be subject L to cracking o1 warping, and desirably should be chemically inert to moisture and acids, especially those encountered in the air and ground. k

The plastic composition which we have found suitable is an oxychloride cement containingvarious fillers enhancing the desirable'characteristics.

In our present form, the surface of the urn is formed of an oxychloride cement having certain fillers which enable the urn to have the hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface we prefer, and this surface may be backed by a complementary oxychloride cement having predominately cellular fillers whereby themass and article have a lighterweight, but at the same time the two materials unite into a monolithic struc ture, or it is entirelypractical and feasible to make the urn'e'nti rely of the aforesaid surface composition. I

One formula for thesurfa'ce composition may consist of the following ingredients, stated in parts by weight: calcined magnesite 40, Silex -50, asbestos (desirably short fibre) 6, diatomaceous earth 4, plasticising fiuid 100. The magnesite should allpass througha screen of 325-mesh and the Silex is desirably about the same particle size.

The plasticising fluid may be made according tothe formula, 'stated'in' parts by weight. magnesium chloride 37.4, magnesium sulphate 8.2, water 54.4. p

If desired, 'a small percentage of a coloring matter, such as iron oxide or carbon black, may be added to this formula, in which case the amount of Silex used in generally reduced slightly, but not over an amount corresponding to that of the added coloring matter.

All of the ingredients of the foregoing composition are mineral in character. It has been found possible to obtain a hardenable plastic composition having the characteristics of the hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface, freedom from warping, inherent strength, resistance toweather and acid conditions, etc., whilesubstituting or adding an organic material, such {as wood flour, in the formula. This results ina finished product that is lighter in weight, perhaps more resilient to shocks and stresses, and slightly cheaper to manufacture. J

A suitable composition in which wood flour is substituted for the mineral fillers may be made in the following proportions, stated in parts by weight:

Calcined magnesite -i i 53.5 Silex i 42.7 Wood flour 3. 8 Plasticising solution-.- 88.6

The Wood flour is very finely ground to approximately 400 screen mesh, or finer.

A suitable backing for the surface material and comprising the bulk of the article may be made according to the following formula, proportions being stated in parts by weight:

Calcined magnesite 40 Silex 27 Asbestos (short fibre) 12 Diatomaceous earth 16 Pumice 5 Plasticising solution 81.8

In the foregoing backing composition, the magnesite is ground to a fine particle size such as all through a 325 mesh screen, and the other ingredients, when used, are of various sizes, i. e., substantially all the pumice will pass through a 16 mesh screen, the Silex is about the same particle size as magnesite, and the short fibre asbestos has a maximum length of about Other fibres may be substituted for the asbestos, such as hemp fibre, due allowance being madefor the difference in porosity and absorptiveness thereof.

Calcium is present in the magnesite as an impurity, and the amount sometimes varies in the commercial product. The magnesium sulphate of the plasticising fluid is varied in an amount to react with the calcium present in the mixture as an impurity so as to convert all this calcium into the inert, insoluble, crystalline calcium sulphate. The dry ingredients are very thoroughly mixed prior to the addition of the plasticising fluid. and are again very thoroughly mixed after the addition of the fluid. Consequently, the calcium sulphate is precipitated in innumerable places throughout the mass; and the viscosity of the mass in all cases is maintained such that the precipitated calcium sulphate does not settle out of the mass but remains at its many points of formation in the hardened composition. It is, therefore, uniformly distributed throughout the resulting product, and one important effect of this is that the calcium sulphate forms a lattice work of crystals throughout the mass of the finished article. This internal structure is useful in distributing over wide areas all shocks, stresses and strains on the'material of the finished product. Furthermore, it is believed that this crystalline calcium sulphate formation aids in preventing cracking and warping both during the setting period and after the article is finished.

It will be apparent, therefore, that more or less magnesium sulphate may be needed inthe plasticising solution to neutralize the lime impurity, and the amount of plasticiser used may vary from the proportions indicated herein, but the proportions stated have been found to be generally satisfactory.

As in the case of the surface materlal, the

major characteristics of the backing composition may be retained without using all mineral in gredicnts, as indicated in the above formula. Certain organic fillers have been substituted for the mineral fillers, and examples of'suchr'composition which has been found to be satisfactory is as follows, stated in parts by weight:

In this case also, themagnesium sulphate ire acts with the calcium present in theinixtii're to attests convert the same to the crystalline calcium sulphate as described above, and the viscosity of the mix is similar, all with the same effects upon the resultant compositions and products.

With the addition of coloring matter as desired, these so-called backing materials may be used for producing the entire article with, however, a different surface appearance from that of our present preferred form.

In the use of the aforementioned hardenable plastic compositions, the urn is cast without the use of heat and pressure, one method of doing so being illustrated in Fig. 4. A mold consisting of two parts 3| and 32, are suitably bolted or locked together to form a mold cavity. The surfaces of the cavity have the necessary provision for the desired surface ornamentations such as indicated in Fig. 1. Before the mold halves are'clamped together, the surface of each half is coated, as by brushing or otherwise, with a thin layer of one of the surface compositions described above; The mold sections are then clamped together and the lower part 33 of the mold cavity is filled with the plastic material made according to one of the above formulae.

The glass liner i 6 is screwed into a block insert 34, which is of a size and shape to provide the recess I! for the cap is as indicated in Fig. 2. The block 34 may have imbedded therein a cap 35 having a screw thread to receive the screw threaded end 2! of the liner it, but these threads may be molded in theblock 34. The block is secured to a cross bar 36 arranged to span the mold cavity and to be secured to the opposite halves thereof, as by stud "bolts 36. The as: sembled glass liner is andblock 34 are pressed home in the partially filled mold cavity until the cross bar 36 is in position at which time the closed end of the liner is embedded in the plastic composition in the lower part of the mold cavity. When the bar 36 is bolted in place, the liner I6 is properly centered and located in the mold cavity, and the remainder of the mold cavity is then filled up to the level of the bar 36 with the plastic composition. As indicated above, the surface and backing plastic compositions unite into a monolithic structure in the finished article.

The mold is then set aside until the plastic composition takes its final set, which occurs in from 3 to 8 hours, and in which time the glass liner i6 is firmly embedded and mounted in the urn casting. After the final set, the screws 36 are removed, by unscrewing the same from the liner l6, which will leave the cavity il in the urn casting with the screw threaded end 2| of the liner I6 projecting into that cavity as indicated in Fig. 2. The mold halves are then unclamped, and the urn casting is set aside to age in open racks in the air, which aging requires from 5 to 20 days.

However, the casting has come out of the mold with the hard, smooth, finely textured, and ornamented outer surface desired in the finished article, and any fine which occurs between the mold halves is easily scraped off before the casting is set away to age. The hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface is indicated at 31 in Fig. 2, and the lighter weight cellular or coarser backing material is indicated at 38, but as explained above, actually there is no delineation between these materials, the showing in Fig. 2 being merely to facilitate the illustration.

With the above explanation, it is not believed necessary to describe the molding of the cap [9. Suffice it to say that it, too, is molded of one of the 'hardenable' plastic compositions referred to, with proper inserts for forming the screw threads therein to engage the screw threaded end- 2| of the liner l6, as shown in Fig. 2, and also to provide for the finger recesses 22. When the urn casting and the cap casting id have aged as described above, one of the caps is screwed onto theurn, and the same is ready for finishing.

In all instances, the surfaces of the above described urns are such that they may be finished in the normal manner for the painting or lac-- quering of wood or metal articles, and a firm bond is had between the composition and the paint or' lacquer. Briefly described, after the aging period,.

sealer and priming coatings may be applied to the urn, and after sanding, the desired color,. shading or tinting, and lacquer coatings may be applied, followed by the waxing and rubbing down operations. By such treatment, commercially acceptable crema'tcry urns are obtained in a variety of effects. 7

When the urn is to be put into use, the cap I9 is removed, the ashes inserted, and then the' cavity 11 may have a thin coating of a cement, about to be described, applied thereto before thecap I9 is screwed into place, and thus the urn is hermetically sealed.

This sealing cement may be made according to the following formula, stated in parts by weight:

Calcined magnesite 45.8 Silex 50.7 Zonolite 3.5 Plasticising fluid 82 Wood flour can be successfully substituted in the: above formula for the Zonolite. We have found that when this cementing composition is used with castings made according to the above formula, the separate interfaces of the assembled cap and um have lost their identity so that the entire article has become a single hermetically sealed, monolithic structure, similar to a case where the object is cast or molded in one piece originally. Any other cement may be used, such. as rubber or casein types.

Referring to Fig. 6, the urn 41 again has the hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface 42 and the coarser, predominantly cellular, backing- 43. In this case, the glass liner 44 is arrangedv in the urn so that its open screw threaded end 45'- of Fig. 6. However, in this case, the urn is made of two parts, the top 5i and base 52, these two parts being separately cast in open molds in a manner as described above in connection with, Fig. 4, which are subsequently cemented together as by use of the cementing composition described. above.

The base has a raised central portion 53 having a screw threaded opening 54 therein which receives the closure cap 55, similarly to the other I closure caps described. In this case there is no glass liner as indicated at 16 and 44 in the other figures of the drawing, such a liner being unnecessary inasmuch as the plastic compositions described above are inert to moisture and acids,

air and ground.

y In this case, when the urn is to be used, the cap 55 is removed, the ashes are inserted through the opening 54, a suitable cementing composition is inserted as indicated at 56, and the' cap 55 is screwed home, all as described in more detail in connection with the other figures of this draw e- In all instances, the hermetic sealing of the cap may be dispensed with.

We claim:

1. In a crematory urn, a hollow body formed of a hardenable plastic composition having a hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface, an

#Snecially such as will be'encountered in the 9199;}

opening at one end of said body, a recess 'surrounding said opening, a liner for said body and embedded in said composition, the liner having a screw threaded end portion projecting through the opening and into said recess, and a closure cap fitting in said recess and having a screw threaded portion engaging the projecting end of the liner to close the same.

2. In a crematory urn, a hollow body formed of a hardenable plastic composition having a hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface, an opening at one end of said body, a recess surrounding said opening, a glass liner for said body, the liner hav ing' a screw threaded end portion projecting through the opening and into said recess, and a closure cap fittingin said recess and having a screw threaded portion engaging the projecting end of the liner.

3. In a Crematory urn, a hollow body formed of a hardenable plastic composition having a hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface, an opening at one end of said body, a recess surrounding said opening, a glass liner for said body, and a closure cap for said opening fitting in said recess and having a peripheral flange provided with a surface complementary to the surface of the body portion around said recess.

4. In a crematory urn, a hollow body formed of a hardenable plastic composition having a hard, smooth, finely textured outer surface, an opening at one end of said body, a recess surrounding said opening, a glass liner for said body, the liner having a screw threaded end portion projecting through the opening and into said recess,and' a closure cap fitting inv said recess and having a screw threaded portion engaging the projecting end of the liner, the cap including a cover for said recess and also formed of the hardenable plastic composition and of appearance to blend with the design appearance of the urn body.

- li'crematory urn comprising a hollow glass liner, a body'formed 'of a layer of a coarse hardenableplastic composition in which said liner is embedded and a layer of a hardenable plastic of different composition to provide a hard, finely textured outer surface, the two compositions bonding together into a unitary structure, the glass liner and body being open at one end of the um, and a closure cap for said opening.

6,: In a crematory urn, a hollow body formed of a hardenable plastic composition, the urn having an ornamental outer surface, anopening on one end of said body, a liner for said body having an open ended reduced portion accessible through said opening, a closure cap for said opening having a portion enclosing the opening of the liner and a peripheral flange having a surface complementary to and fitting against the surface of the body around said opening and also closing the opening in said body.

MURRAY J. MACDONALD. CARL SCI-IWENDLER.. CHRISTOPHER S. SCI-1V7 ENDLER.

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